NCC News: Mission Statement

The North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources (NCC) works to expand and improve access to library resources and other forms of information about Japan within the existing framework of North American library collections, through grant programs, and by working with collaborating organizations in North America, Japan and elsewhere.

The overarching goal of the NCC is to mobilize the resources of information providers, information users, and funding organizations in order to collaboratively develop comprehensive access to Japanese information in as wide a range of fields as possible - in the humanities, social sciences, and throughout the professional fields - for all current and potential users.

The NCC works to define and articulate the common concerns and needs both of libraries and users of Japanese resources. It autonomously develops programs and materials to address those needs, and articulates those needs to funding organizations in both the US and Japan. The NCC serves as a strong representative voice for institutions and individuals (including those with limited or no direct library access to Japanese materials) and its activities are carried out by the pro bono efforts of representatives of a range of libraries and institutions in the field of Japanese studies. The NCC works to provide two-way coordination between North American libraries and funding agencies; and to develop closer collaborations between North American and Japanese libraries, their staffs, and their users.

Specifically, the NCC:
Coordinates and develops projects that

• improve access to materials in all formats
• cooperatively develop Japanese collections
• educate librarians, and
• users of Japanese resources;

Solicits recommendations from and articulates the collective needs of librarians, scholars and others in relation to information resources;

Expands the work of advising and collaborating with funding agencies in developing relevant and valuable programs;

Gathers and disseminates information with regard to these efforts and to educate users about new resources.

The NCC, founded in 1991, is an independent 501-C-3 tax-exempt organization, a public charity in the state of New Jersey, and an international nonprofit organization fostering collaborations across a wide range of institutions.

Revisions approved: September 23, 2006